Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

 

Pearls and Holy Things
The first saying of Jesus from the Gospel today is enough for the day’s reflection:

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)

In my Bible, I had written a big question mark next to this verse. I still don’t quite know what it means. So, let’s dig in and see what we can find.

For Matthew 7:6 there is a cross-reference to a verse in the Book of Proverbs. The proverb says:

“Do not speak in the hearing of fools; they will despise the wisdom of your words.” (Proverbs 23:9, NABRE)

This verse, in turn, has a cross-reference to another proverb:

“Whoever corrects the arrogant earns insults; and whoever reproves the wicked incurs opprobrium [harsh criticism].” (Proverbs 9:7, NABRE)

With a hint like this, what Jesus is saying must be proverbial. The trouble is that the proverbial imagery he is using has become unfamiliar to us today. Indeed, proverbs can be very much a product of their time, but the underlying wisdom often endures. So, what is the underlying wisdom in Jesus’ proverb?

These two Old Testament proverbs may give us a clue. They seem similar in form to Jesus’ proverb. Let me paraphrase them and separate out Jesus’ imagery, in order to draw out a plausible meaning.

Proverbs 23:9 goes well alongside the image of throwing pearls before swine:

  • Do not speak in the hearing of fools or else they will despise the wisdom of your words.
  • Do not throw your pearls before swine or else they will trample them underfoot.

If the pearl is something of great value, like the gospel, be wise and discerning to whom you preach it.

Proverbs 9:7 seems to go well with the image of giving holy things to dogs:

• Do not correct the arrogant or else you will earn insults; do not reprove the wicked or else you will incur opprobrium.
• Do not give holy things to dogs or else they will turn and tear you to pieces.

If the holy thing is the message of the gospel, and if those you preach the gospel to oppose it like vicious dogs, take the Good News elsewhere.

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB